First to Fight: An ethnography of the far-right in Polish martial arts.
Lead Research Organisation:
King's College London
Department Name: European and International Studies
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed an upsurge of right-wing radicalization across Europe. While analyses
drawing on Political Science has mostly focused on institutional politics, little attention has been
devolved to the intimate and everyday practices that have contributed to the reproduction of so-called
"neo-fascist" ideologies from below. Yet, I argue, are these very spaces, located in the interstices
between public and private spheres, that contribute to the radicalization of youth across Europe.
Focusing on the case study of Poland, this research aims to investigate the role played by martial arts
gyms and sport competitions to recast memory discourses and normalise counter-histories that play a
pivotal role in the creation of youth communities. My aim is also to investigate the history, ideology
and philosophy behind far-right martial arts tournaments, as well as participate in more institutional
sports events, often organised by local government bodies alongside right-wing associations and
activists.
The objective of this research, informed mainly by ethnographic methods of data-gathering, is to
explore the performances, experiences and uses of right-wing ideologies - practices and meanings - in
the everyday lives of Polish youth. What links these developments is a particular attention on the
emotional dimension of research, focus on "everyday nationalism" (Knott 2015) and the application of,
what Joel Busher calls, the "non-dehumanization principle (Busher 2021: 270) to inquiring radical-right
groups.
drawing on Political Science has mostly focused on institutional politics, little attention has been
devolved to the intimate and everyday practices that have contributed to the reproduction of so-called
"neo-fascist" ideologies from below. Yet, I argue, are these very spaces, located in the interstices
between public and private spheres, that contribute to the radicalization of youth across Europe.
Focusing on the case study of Poland, this research aims to investigate the role played by martial arts
gyms and sport competitions to recast memory discourses and normalise counter-histories that play a
pivotal role in the creation of youth communities. My aim is also to investigate the history, ideology
and philosophy behind far-right martial arts tournaments, as well as participate in more institutional
sports events, often organised by local government bodies alongside right-wing associations and
activists.
The objective of this research, informed mainly by ethnographic methods of data-gathering, is to
explore the performances, experiences and uses of right-wing ideologies - practices and meanings - in
the everyday lives of Polish youth. What links these developments is a particular attention on the
emotional dimension of research, focus on "everyday nationalism" (Knott 2015) and the application of,
what Joel Busher calls, the "non-dehumanization principle (Busher 2021: 270) to inquiring radical-right
groups.
